I was wondering how models and other photographers handled procuring wardrobe selections for uncommissioned photo shoots.

I came across a website today: www.sexydepot.com that displays a wide selection of lingerie that appears to lend itself perfectly for glamour and fashion photography at a very inexpensive price point. Are any of you using this clothing supplier or others like it?

Do you work with what the model already has?

Do you work out business arrangements with smaller, local area lingerie retail stores?

How are you going about finding the right outfit for your photographs. Others along with myself would love to hear what you are doing in this area.

There are a lot of online retailers if you do a google search you'll find them. One other one I like is www.flirtcatalog.com. I also buy a lot of VS stuff on clearance.

I have found that, especially with new models, I have to style the whole shoot. When I started I did not do this, but I was consistently disappointed. Since then I have started ordering outfits. Recently I went into the city (NYC) where you can pick up a ton of stuff. I just did another jewelry run. On 6th Ave you can get a ton of costume jewelry very cheap. I now have a large tacklebox filled with the stuff.

I've worked with designers who have donated items for the shoot or they have given me bikini's or lingerie for my models to wear. but most of the time the girl's that i have worked with have there own lingerie and sexy outfits. they bring stuff that is very sexy and they wear things i wouldn't even suggest but there all very comfortable with barley there items. Check out http://www.microkitten.com/, if u get anything tell them Jesse from Miamiparties.com sent ya.

I am not sure how others feel about this but I hate to shoot another model in a outfit I shot with before. And I think models like to know they are the only one that had the outfit on. Most of the time the model will go home with the outfits she models in.

Keep in mind anything that is cheap will generally look cheap. If you are looking for quality photos everything has to be of quality. You're a quality photographer and you have a quality model why would you screw that up by not having quality clothing?

If you don't want to pay for it ask the model if she has something like it or would be willing to get it. After all if it is an uncomissioned shoot most likely the model asked you to shoot the particular set? If it's your set and your idea and your asking her to shoot the set and it's a trade it would be polite to provide the outfit - after all it is something YOU wanted to shoot.

Kudos to the photogs shopping clearance at VS - great clothing, great results.

Double Kudos the photogs who send the model home with the lingerie. I agree with the above model to some degree. I'll swamp clothing and some lingerie with my model friends - but someone I don't know, that is kind of wierd.

We too let the model keep what we supply her in lingerie. It just seems an acceptable way of maintaining proper hygiene. Regarding dresses, we have about 100 in supply and they remain in studio but washed or dry cleaned after use.
By the way, in the early days before we knew better, we supplied a lot of makeup as well but quit when we learned that some people are allergic to various brands and germs can also be spread that way. We ask the model to bring her own.